1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a method and system for providing data exchange between data processing systems and in particular to a method and system for providing modem communications between data processing systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing modem communications between multiple applications in different data processing systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
A modem is a device utilized to transmit data between data processing systems such as, computers, workstations, and other peripheral devices interconnected by means of conventional communications lines supporting analog transmissions. Modems transform (modulate) digital data from a digital device, such as a computer, to an analog form suitable for transmission over conventional communications lines. A modem also receives an analog signal and restores (demodulates) the analog signal back to its original form. Modems come in a number of different forms and types. Different modems have different transmissions speeds and they may be externally or internally connected to a data processing system. Modems may include a number of features such as auto-dial, automatic speed detection of the modem being called, and automatic switching to the speed of the modem being called, error detection and correction, data compression, and multiple modulation techniques.
With the introduction of OS/2, concurrent execution of multiple programs has been a focus of program developers. "OS/2" is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation, located in Armonk, N.Y. Such applications in a data processing system may gather data from other data processing systems within a network. Sometimes a user utilizing a data processing system having multiple applications executing concurrently at a site may desire to obtain data from another data processing system having multiple applications executing concurrently at a second site using a modem.
In such a situation, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for providing communication of data between multiple applications concurrently executing on different data processing systems.